Exercise bar having revolvable arms



Sept. 23, 1969 J. A. DONATO r EXERCISE BAR HAVING REVOLVABLE ARMS Filed NOV. 28, 1967 I INVENTOR. Jouu A. Domaro A TTOIZN E Y6 United States Patent 3,468,534 EXERCISE BAR HAVING REVOLVABLE ARMS John A. Donato, 11039 Fitzwater Road, Brecksville, Ohio 44141 Filed Nov. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 691,098 Int. Cl. A63b 11/04, 11/02 US. Cl. 272-84 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An exercising and amusement device in which a rotatable shaft has angular portions extending radially therefrom, to swing around the shaft axis as the shaft is moved in a motion to cause the angular portions to revolve, the shaft having handle portions held by the user to permit the shaft to rotate therein, the handle portions having a larger bore than the diameter of the shaft in the handle portions to provide a loose play and small orbital movement of the shaft in the handle portions as the shaft rotates on its axis, the free ends of the angular portions having rubber balls or resilient pads thereon for guarding the same, and auxiliary weights mountable on the angular portions to adjustable positions therealong to add desired weight for increasing the force required to swing the angular pieces about the shaft axis. The handle portions are disposed adjacent the ends of the shaft and the angular portions extend outwardly from the shaft at locations spaced from the ends of the shaft inwardly toward ends other from the handle portions, the free ends of the angular portions being closer to ends other than are the opposite ends of the shaft whereby the hands of the holder of the device are farther apart than said free ends of the angular portions.

My invention relates to devices utilizable for giving physical exercise to the user and for amusement.

An object of my invention is to provide a new device that affords exercise in a novel manner to the muscles of the user.

Another object is the provision of an exercising device that may be adjusted to permit gradations in the amount of physical exercise produced in its use.

Another object is the provision of an exercising device that may be readily adapted to use by different ways of varying muscular condition and ability.

Another object is the provision for giving different modified forms of exercise with the same device.

Another object is the provision for providing a unique approach to physical exercise through reaction of different muscles of the user to the manual movement of my exercising device by the user.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a modified form of my improved exercising device in which the whirling action is generally located in planes between the hands of the holder of the device;

FIGURE 2 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line 4--4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view, partially in section, taken through the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a front view of a man using the modified form of device illustrated in FIGURE 1 and showing the same being held in two positions as grasped by the user in an underhand manner.

3,468,534- Patented Sept. 23, 1969 ice It is also to be understood that the device may be held, positioned and maneuvered in many positions, manners and ways other than those illustrated. For example, the device may be held by the user in back of him; also the user may lean down and forwardly. It will be apparent that there are many variations possible in the use of the device. Also it will be apparent to those using the device that there are many physical advantages and many features of exercise that are obtainable through the use of my improved exercising device. It will also be obvious to those using the same that not only exercise, but amusement and entertainment may be produced for the benefit of both the user and those observing an exhibition of the use of the device.

In the form of my device shown in FIGURE 1, a shaft is made up of an outer tube 36 and an inner tube 37 snugly fitted therein. The outer tube 36 is shorter than inner tube 37 so that as seen the inner tube protrudes outwardly from the outer ends of outer tube 36. A tubular handle 38 is mounted over ends of the protruding end portions of the inner tube 37. Plugs 39 having pin portions in a press fit in the extreme ends of the inner tube 37 and button portions larger in diameter than tubular handles hold the handles in position between the outer ends of the outer tube 36 and the plugs 39.

The fit of the handles 38 on the end portions of inner tube 37 is loose as seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG- URE 10 whereby the shaft may both rotate and orbit in the bores of handles 38. This aids in giving a combined rotational and orbital action.

Secured to tubes 36 and 37 by cross-pins or rivets 41 (of which three are shown being used) is a second or bent tube 40 as shown. The main portion of tube 40 is disposed parallel and next adjacent tube 36. The three cross-pins 41 at locations shown extend through the tubes 36, 37 and 40 and are peened or otherwise secure so as to hold the three tubes together as shown.

The outer end portions of second tube 40 are bent as shown to form angular portions 40A and 40B diverging from each other as they extend radially from the axis of the shaft (made up of tubes 36 and 37). The preferred degree of the angle A of each angular portion 40A and 40B (which is the included angle between the axis of the respective angular portion and a plane normal to the axis of the shaft as indicated in FIGURE 7) is on the order of about 20 degrees to 28 degrees, and most preferably is on the order of about 24 degrees.

Mounted on the free or outer ends of angular portions 40A and 40B are pads 42 made of molded relatively soft balls of rubber or rubberlike material. A preferred way of mounting these balls on the ends of the angular portions 40A and 40B is by the molding or otherwise securing in sockets in the balls steel sleeves that are internally threaded, which sleeves are threadably engaged on threaded ends of angular portions 40A and 40B as shown. The balls may then be readily mounted on, or removed from, the free ends of angular portions 40A and 40B as desired.

In cases wherein auxiliary weights are desired for more difficult and vigorous exercise, weight or mass members 44, having openings therein to accommodate the angu lar portions 40A and 40B, respectively may be added by removing balls 42 and sliding the members 44 upon angular portions to the desired positions. The members 44 may be locked in desired positions by set screws 45, at the ends of which nylon drags or lugs 46 may be positioned for better frictional engagement without marring the angular portions 40A and 40B.

The shaft with angularly disposed arms may be made of metal, such as soft steel tubes, fabricated as above described. If desired, the straight portion of the shaft and angular arms extending therefrom may be made of an integral molded plastic piece, composed of appropriate plastic composition which may be reinforced with glass fiber or the like. The handles may be mounted on the opposite ends of such a molded plastic shaft to be revolvable thereon in the same manner as described. Also, the rubber balls may be mounted on the free ends of the plastic angular arms in the same manner as described. If desired, auxiliary weights may be mounted on the arms as described.

It should be noted that the use of the form of device shown in FIGURES 1 to 6, the whirling of the angular portions 40A and 40B and balls thereon takes place in planes, normal to the shaft axis, within or between the arms of the user holding the handles. The danger of interference with others or possible injury to persons standing near the ends of the shaft is minimized or avoided. More persons may safely use such devices in a restricted area, such as a gymnasium, without the collision of whirling devices and with a minimum of conflct or injury. It has also been noted that better control is obtained by the user with this form of the device and as a consequence the device may be used longer at a time and providing a greater measure of exercise.

The angular disposition of the portions 40A and 40B and the spacing thereof from each other aids in assuring that the body and head of the user is not struck by the whirling parts. As the users arms are held generally outstretched and his hands widely separated, such as in the two positions shown in FIGURE 6, the body and head of the user are avoided. In fact, the used is encouraged by the arrangement of the parts in this modification to maintain his arms in a relatively outstretched manner.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An exercising device comprising the combination of a shaft member, two arm members secured to and extending from a side of the shaft member at locations alongside the shaft member, said locations being spaced substantially equidistant from the mid-point between the ends of the shaft member and spaced substantially equidistant inwardly from said ends of the shaft member, handles rotatably mounted on the ends of said shaft member, the handles having axes disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft member, said handles being adapted to be manually held by the spaced hands of the user, movement of the held handles laterally of the axis of the shaft member inducing rotation of the shaft member and revolving of the arm members about the axis of the shaft member, said arm members diverging from each other to provide a space between the free ends of the arm members greater than the space between said locations along the shaft member, but less than the axial extent of said shaft member and handles mounted thereon, whereby said free ends may avoid the person holding the handles 4 with outstretched arms and rotating the shaft member.

2. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1 and in which said arm members diverge at acute angles to planes normal to the axis of the shaft member, which acute angles are on the order of about 20 degrees to 28 degrees.

3. An exercising device as claimed in claim 2 and in which said acute angles are on the order 'of about 2.4 degrees. v

4. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1 and including pads of resilient rubberlike material mounted on the free ends of said arm members for padding the same.

5. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1 and including axuiliary Weight members removably mounted on said arm members ,at adjustable location therealong.

6. An exercising device comprising the combination of a straight shaft member, tubular handles rotatably mounted on the shaft member adjacent its opposite ends, the axes of said handles being parallel to the axis of said shaft member, the shaft member being rotatable on its axis relative to said handles, arm members carried by, and extending generally in a common plane, from spaced locations alongside the shaft member, said arm members being disposed on opposite sides of a mid-point between the ends of the shaft member and spaced from the ends of the shaft member, said arm members being revolvable about the axis of the shaft member upon rotation of the shaft member on its axis, said arm members extending away from each other as they extend from said locations along side the shaft member, said handles extending along the axis of the shaft member beyond planes normal to the axis of the shaft member coinciding with the outer limits of the free ends of the arm members to be held by the outstretched hands of the persons with outstretched arms holding said handles and rotating the shaft member, said arm members in extending away from each other accommodating between said free ends the torso of the person with outstretched arms holding the handles.

7. An exercising device as claimed in claim 6 and in which said arm members extend along diverging lines that are on the order of about 24 degrees to the axis of the shaft member.

8. An exercising device as claimed in claim 6 and including balls of resilient rubberlike material mounted on the free ends of the arm members for providing protective pads therefor.

9. An exercising device as claimed in claim 6 and including auxiliary weight means mounted on said arm members at adjustably determined positions therealong.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,270 9/ 1891 Somerby 272-84 1,013,782 1/1912 Koch 272-84 2,509,810 5/1950 Core 2,7284 2,919,919 l/1960 Ebb 46-479 XR 3,298,687 1/1967 Douglas 272-82 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 72,740 6/ 1916 Switzerland.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner WILLIAM R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 272-84 

